Alamo seventh-grader appreciates bee experience

Mary DearenMidland Reporter-Telegram

Published 4:24 pm, Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Photo: Bill Clark

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5: Midland Reporter-Telegram Regional Spelling Bee victories the Rubios have claimed since 2006; Also the number of Washington, D.C., road trips the family has taken to attend the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Photo: FILE - Speller 241 Thomas A. Rubio competes in the preliminary rounds of the National Spelling Bee at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Habor, Md., on Wednesday, June 1, 2011. Photo by Bill Clark less

5: Midland Reporter-Telegram Regional Spelling Bee victories the Rubios have claimed since 2006; Also the number of Washington, D.C., road trips the family has taken to attend the Scripps National Spelling

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. - Alamo Junior High School seventh-grader Thomas Rubio, 13, already is looking ahead to the possibility of returning to the nation's capital for the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee after failing on Wednesday to reach the semifinals.

Thomas, who was three points shy of earning a qualifying score, felt he did his best and appreciated the experience.

"And it's my first year. I think it's good for my first year. Now I know what's going on."

The national bee, hosted by the E.W. Scripps Co., consists of a 25-word written test and two preliminary rounds on stage. While Thomas correctly spelled both words on stage, he missed five words on Tuesday's written test.

The son of Abner and Mildred Rubio said that while waiting to take the written test he was nervous.

"I haven't been this nervous since really ever."

To calm down, he took three breaths - advice given to the 275, 8- to 15-year-old spellers by pronouncer Jacques Bailly, who was the national champion in 1980.

After each of the preliminary rounds Thomas said he knew each of the words Bailly called out to him - first gymkhana, then pantomime.

He said he was confident as he approached the microphone the first time.

"I just hoped I got a word I had studied," he said afterward. "I was kind of pleased (when I heard the word) because I already knew it."

While waiting to hear if he had made the cut, Thomas said he "felt good" after spelling "pantomime" but "I got kind of scared about the second part" - whether he would join the 40 other youngsters who would advance to the semifinals, which begin 9 a.m. (CDT) today on ESPN. Those 41 students will be winnowed down to 10 to 15 for the finals, which are 7:30 p.m. today, also on ESPN.

The national bee is being held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. The kids were feted (a preliminary round word) Sunday at a barbecue and on Friday will be seeing the sights of Washington, D.C. The daylong tour will be followed by an awards banquet and dance.

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Some of the other preliminary words in the 2011 Scripps National Spelling Bee: